He encouraged them to throw on more dead boughs, until the blaze leaped higher and higher and sparkled and roared, sending up myriads of joyous sparks that glowed for their brief lives among the trees and then died.

No fear of St.Luc and the Indians now! That fierce fringe of Mohawks was a barrier that they could never pass, even should they choose to return, and no such choice could possibly be theirs! The fire crackled and blazed in increasing volume, and the Philadelphia lads, recovering from the collapse that had followed tremendous exertions and excitement, began to appreciate the extent of their victory and to talk eagerly with one another.
But the period of full rest had not yet come.

Captain Colden made them dig with their bayonets shallow graves for their dead, six in number.
Fluent of speech, his sensitive mind again fitting into the deep gravity of the situation, Robert said a few words above them, words that he felt, words that moved those who heard.

Then the earth was thrown in and stones and heavy boughs were placed over all to keep away the digging wolves or other wild animals.
The wounded were made as comfortable as possible before the fire, and in the light of the brilliant flames the awe created by the dead quickly passed.

Food was served and fresh water was drunk, the canteens being refilled from a spring that Tayoga found a quarter of a mile away.